Armillaria spp.

Scientific name: Armillaria gallica Marxm. &
Romagn.; Armillaria gemina Berube & Dessur.;Armillaria ostoyae (Romagn.) Herink; Armillaria
sinapina
Berube & Dessur. Derivation of name: Gallica means ?; Gemina means ? Ostoyae means ?; Sinapina means ?
Phylum: BasidiomycotaOrder: AgaricalesFamily: Physalacriaceae Occurrence on wood substrate: Most species are
parasitic,
some are saprobic; depending on the species,
they may occur
as
solitary
specimens or in cespitose
clusters, they may appear
terrestrial or fruit on visible
wood, and they may be
associated with hardwood or
conifer tree species; many form
black rhizomorphs
allowing for tree-to-tree spread of the fungus. Dimensions: Consult field guides. Cap: Smooth or scaly, depending on the species. Consult
field
guides. Gills: Attached.Spore print:White.Stipe: Consult field guides. In species with a cespitose
growth
habit, each stipe base tapers to a point.Veil: Present (but lacking in A. tabescens).Edibility: The various species are considered edible
which is not surprising given that they were all (other thanA. tabescens)
once considered variants of A. mellea.
Even so, some individuals are intolerant. Comments: The keys in the websites below include
seven Armillaria species found east of the Rocky
Mountains. A number of them can be identified
with
certainty only through microscopic examination.